THE BIG INTERVIEW
Let’s talk about socks baby
Celebrity builder, TOMMY WALSH (right) has teamed up with Workforce to banish uncomfortable work socks. DEBBIE EALES gets Tommy’s take on the new sock range, his ideas for the perfect workwear and hears all about his acting debut as a hitman called Vince in the film One...
T
ommy Walsh is Britainʼs most iconic builder. No wonder, then, that Hackney-born Tommy has been snapped up as the brand ambassador for a new range of workwear socks from Workforce. Tommy, whoʼs been in the building trade since he was a teenager, has carved quite a career for himself as a “celebrity” builder, after making his name on BBCʼs successful Ground Force show, alongside Alan Titchmarsh and Charlie Dimmock. Since then, with his good looks, easy manner and building credentials, he has fronted an impressive number of shows, from Challenge Tommy Walsh and Space Invaders, to Tommyʼs Ultimate Workshop, Tommyʼs DIY Survivors, Trading Places, The Reclaimers and more. He even popped up on Celebrity Fit Club! In between filming, he has penned a number of DIY books, including a successful series for publisher, Collins. Tommy is certainly in demand but he chooses his work carefully, is a perfectionist and certainly would not endorse something that he doesnʼt believe in. My opening gambit, was “Letʼs talk socks”. Politely ignoring my flippancy, Tommy entered into a knowledgeable lecture about how important socks are – and why itʼs important to look after your feet. (His own, he tells me, are size 12 and he has the ʻbummerʼ of all bunions!). “Believe it or not, I think socks are very
| 40 | March 2013
important,” he tells me. “If you go back in history, we used to wear shoes that were ill-fitting and bad for our feet. Then we realised the value of shoes on the shape of your feet. People are now realising that they only get one pair of feet and itʼs important to look after them. Did you know, 25% of the bones in our body are in our feet!”
Look after your feet
According to Tommy, Workforce are breaking the mould. “They have introduced anti fungal elements into their socks, which is great. Because we are a nation of people who take showers, 6.7 million people have a problem with fungus. I call it the silent disease. It can take years and years for a fungal infection to clear up.
“So the message is: youʼve got to look after yourself a bit more.”
Good footwear and good socks are especially important for people like builders who spend most of their time on their feet. Says Tommy: “Workforce are the hardest wearing socks Iʼve ever worn and also the most comfortable. They provide me with the comfort and protection I need when Iʼm working hard or when Iʼm out and about. “Theyʼre warm, but never get too hot;
theyʼre padded, extra strong and fit comfortably with my working boots and
shoes. I donʼt know how theyʼve done it, but Workforce have a range of socks ideal for workwear purposes.” Before he discovered Workforce, Tommy
Walsh was (according to the PR blurb) fed up with socks that werenʼt up to the job. He was tired of wearing uncomfortable socks under boots, getting cold feet on chilly building sites, and, worst of all, finding holes in his socks! Thatʼs when he went on a mission to find the perfect chunky socks; socks that would withstand the rigors of the working environment. Workforce socks are engineered for comfort and protection and are tailored for people in tough jobs. Whether heʼs on a building site or in a cold television studio, Tommy Walsh wears Workforce socks to keep him warm, comfortable and protected during long periods on his feet. The Workforce range includes boot socks, wellie socks, walking socks and socks designed to wear with steel toe cap safety shoes and boots. Advanced fibres ensure highest levels of comfort, wearability and protection. Technical features include knitted arch support engineered for a precise fit and hold, and terry cushion panels to provide excellent comfort from shock absorption. Specially constructed ventilation panels aid moisture management, while specially treated yarns and bamboo fibres provide natural antibacterial protection. Heavy
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